Taking Off the Mask
by luckyricochet
Summary: Set during Kakashi Gaiden. The morning after Kakashi is injured by Mahiru, Rin wants to take another look at the wound to make sure it's all right...meaning Kakashi will need to take off his shirt. And by taking off his shirt, he'll be taking of his mask. Very slight one-sided KakaRin. Oneshot.


**A/N: I was rewatching Kakashi Gaiden and noticed that Kakashi wasn't wearing his mask when Rin was wrapping the bandage around his arm. It got me wondering how he felt about having to take his mask off in front of his team and what thoughts he might have been having. **

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The wound was still smarting when Kakashi rolled out his bed mat for the night, but he was determined not to show any weakness. He was already frustrated that the mission was being put on hold on his account; he wasn't about to have more fuss be made because of his injury. Especially if the fussing came from Minato.

Ever since Kakashi's father had killed himself, Minato had been the one that Kakashi looked up to the most. A powerful ninja...yet also a good citizen, and well respected in all aspects of his character.

Kakashi laid down on his left side, positioning himself carefully so there was no strain on his injury. Sleep came easily for him. As much bravado Kakashi put on, he was well spent from using Chidori.

The next morning, Kakashi sat up slowly. With some surprise, he saw that he was the last to arise—even after Obito. The other three were already eating breakfast. Kakashi stood up and joined them on top of the rock they'd camped around. Minato handed him his share.

"How's the wound?" Minato asked.

Kakashi shrugged. "Fine," he lied. He could still feel occasional spasms of pain, but he ignored them.

Minato smiled. "Good."

Kakashi stared down at his food, not wanting to eat. Obito sat next to him, silently. A rarity for him, Kakashi noted. If they were ever in the same vicinity and a meal was to be eaten, Obito was always badgering him about taking his mask off, a habit that had eventually convinced Kakashi not to eat around his teammates unless it was necessary and he wouldn't have time to find a place to eat alone. Unfortunately, Kakashi couldn't think of a reason to avoid this meal. He'd already been wounded, so he would need all the energy he could get. But just the same, he wasn't about to give Obito the satisfaction of seeing his face for the first time.

Kakashi looked up at Minato briefly, hoping that his sensei would understand the message he was trying to convey. Minato gave the tiniest of nods and got to his feet.

"Look!" Minato shouted suddenly, pointing in a direction away from Kakashi. His teammates followed where Minato was gesturing to. Kakashi quickly ripped down his mask and picked up his chopsticks. "Itadakimasu," he whispered, and downed the meal easily. By the time Rin and Obito turned back, Kakshi had pulled his mask back up. Obito's face fell slightly.

"Sensei!" Rin exclaimed. "What was that for?!"

Minato chuckled. "There was a beautiful bird flying that direction; I wanted you to see it."

The others rolled their eyes and hopped off the rock. "Start packing up," Minato called.

Back on the ground and after he'd cleared his area, Kakashi stretched all his muscles slowly, as was his routine. The tautness and then relaxation was a satisfying sensation. When it came to his right side, he proceeded cautiously. A stinging pain went through him and he could help but wince. Rin was at his side at once.

"Let me see it," she said.

Kakashi hesitated for a long time. To show Rin the wound, Kakashi would have to remove his shirt...and by extension his mask, something that he'd just managed to evade. No one but his father had ever seen him without his mask. It felt somewhat violating to Kakashi that that part of him was going to be so unceremoniously altered.

He didn't mind so much if Minato-sensei saw him without his mask, but he did take issue with his teammates getting the chance, especially Obito.

But Rin was adamant. Perhaps she realized what she was asking, because Kakashi noticed a faint blush fanned across her cheeks. Kakashi narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Rin was a competent kunoichi and her skills in medical ninjutsu were certainly handy, Kakashi admitted, but he wished she wouldn't get so distracted over such a trivial matter.

"Come on!" Rin insisted. "The longer it takes, the longer the mission will have to wait!"

That got Kakashi's attention. If they never got to the bridge because of his stubbornness, there'd be trouble. Kakashi unbuckled the strap that carried his father's tanto and laid it softly on the grass, following with his metal-plated gloves. He looked around furtively. Obito was still working on putting all his things away.

_Better get it over with. _In one fluid motion, Kakashi took off his shirt and put it in his lap. He didn't look at Rin directly and instead frowned down, but he could still see the look of astonishment on her face as she witnessed his face for the first time.

But as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished and she examined his arm. "It looks all right," she said, but she gave it another round of medical ninjutsu. Then from her backpack, she took out an ointment and spread a healthy coat all over the wound. "This will keep away the infection and reduce the pain in the wound for a while." Rin reached into her pouch again to retrieve a roll of bandage and began to wrap it around Kakashi's arm. "It should heal fine," she said, "but don't strain it too much or the wound will open up."

"Okay," Kakashi said. He was still feeling awkwardly exposed without his mask on.

"Let's head out," Minato said.

"Yes, sir!"

Kakashi looked up when he felt the bandaged being tied off tightly. To his relief, it seemed as though Obito has been occupied the entire time, seeing that he was just now picking up his pack. Kakashi pulled shirt back on, glad that his face was masked once more.


End file.
